I just got back from Switzerland, having tried for a shot at Deep Blue Sea on the Eiger Nordwand. At the moment the route is out of condition, and despite having gotten TO it, there was too much ice, snow and water on it to be climb-able. The reality is that I was probably 1 - 2 months too early in the season for it, due to a very late winter season (we were actually hailed off several alpine multis this trip, which was falling as snow higher up).

It seems that the ideal time this year would probably be late July - late August.

So, tentatively, is there anyone here who is going to be over that way during this time period, who is capable of climbing mixed multi in the vicinity of 7b+ over 330m at 2600-3000m of elevation and would be up for joining me on a rematch? I haven't organised anything with work yet or made any solid plans, but I thought I'd just put it out there and see if anyone is interested.

On 23/06/2014 nmonteith wrote:>Let me get this straight - you would fly BACK to Europe for a rematch in>a months time?! Why didn't you just stay longer!

2 reasons:

1. My climbing partner was heading off to Croatia and I didn't have another one lined up.
2. It would necessitate the loss of my job without any guarantee of a rematch, and in the interim the route itself is still out-of-condition and unclimb-able.

Unlike Ceuse, Switzerland wasn't exactly the centre for climbing hang-outs, and the calibre of individual necessary to tackle Deep Blue Sea wasn't just going to meander into Interlaken and look me up.

Additionally, of 14 days in Europe, only 2 if them were completely dry days. I've spent a lot of afternoons/evenings in my tent trying to dry ropes, cams, draws, slings, etc in my sleeping bag. So, it's not like the weather was in my favour to keep climbing in the area.

So yes, I would throw away another $1500 to fly back there in a months time assuming I can line something up. I will try and convince my work to give me more time off, but if they won't and all the elements of the equation are in favour of Big Sendage... well, a job's a job.

So, considering you're "progression" of late (read that last sentence with plenty of sarcasm), I suppose that you trying the crux pitch of Siblings of the Sun is "a bit above your pay grade"? The comparison is apt.

I can climb harder than 26, I've ticked 26, and I've ticked 25 on pure trad. I've also climbed longer multipitches with sustained pitches of hard climbing, and with pitches at my limit. I've also done a great deal of alpine rock climbing in various locations, not the least of which was Kyrgyzstan.

Furthermore, Deep Blue Sea only has 2 pitches at 7b+, one of which is slab-to-face-climbing and the other is classic steep limestone with a boulder problem (next to a bolt). The rest of the pitches are spread out over a broad range. It ALSO only has an obligatory climbing grade of 7a (meaning that you can pull past the boulder problem crux move to climb the 7b+ pitch at 7a A0.

Let's face it, "calibre of individual" isn't merely defined by the climbing grade (though it is a factor), but also dealing with massive exposure (500m of air below you at Pitch 1), alpine conditions, efficient and effective multipitching and two-rope belaying, and hard climbing on trad gear, and -more importantly- demonstrated experience in the above areas.

On 23/06/2014 sbm wrote:>>Paul, I heard you were trying it with Ro? Did that partnership work out?

The partnership went well, and we did plenty of climbing in Ceuse, Verdon and around Interlaken, but as I said, the route isn't in condition (as the two of us found out the hard way), and I had to return for work. Ro also had committments with other climbers, and is due to head to Croatia (to meet up with his sister) early next month, so he wouldn't be around when the route went into season.

Merely trying to point out that going online and advertising for a partner (who must be a certain "calibre of individual") makes one sound a bit like a, um, "certain type of individual"......shall we say?

btw I'm not trying the crux pitch of Siblings now, because I don't have to, because I ticked the whole route :)

Yeah, alright, I'll give you that, I definitely chose my words poorly. Not too sure what else I could use as a substitute, as I was gonna sound like a "certain type of individual" no matter what I say, when I'm talking about a "selection process" =P.

Nice work on sending Siblings, I hear that the main crux pitch is a bit of a bouldery number.

The request is reasonable, just that the way it was phrased makes it sound like one of those ads for really expensive yet useless shit (which are all over inflight magazines for some reason)......."Are your cufflinks commensurate with the calibre of individual whom you've strived to become?"

How about "Oi, c--t, this thing isn't the same as some Shipley 26. Just cause you dogged the shit out of the massively overgraded Supercallous, doesn't mean you now climb the grade. Please don't waste my fuching time if you're some kind of St. Peters ringbolt-clipping shanker, ok?"

On 23/06/2014 One Day Hero wrote:>How about "Oi, c--t, this thing isn't the same as some Shipley 26. Just>cause you dogged the shit out of the massively overgraded Supercallous,>doesn't mean you now climb the grade. Please don't waste my fuching time>if you're some kind of St. Peters ringbolt-clipping shanker, ok?"

One Day Hero , what Paul was meaning to say was this......................The co-ordination of knowledge to provide sufficient skill for any particular task, namely climbing with P.Thomson , can indeed be done by one man if he is only good enough - the experteer. But he needs to be backed up by a change in the Climate of Thought , which can only be achieved by the co-operation of a larger number of individuals distributed through Chockstone society. An immediate and urgent need of Chockstone emerges : to recruit numbers of able people who will work assiduously on broadening their basis of understanding. They will create an influence for good sendage conditions , firstly by improving the Climate of Thought , secondly by graduating to the class of experteer , ready to dominate the specialist, refuse him an open go, and bring him under control.
This is an unusual and quite specific proposition ; not a repetition of a vague call for good climbing works. The requirement is not merely to volunteer for good. It is to volunteer to study , to read and digest many important members posts , to observe the world very closely over a long period , and to extend ones understanding over a very wide range. It implies a definite step-up of intellectual ability , of spirituality and of nobility of mind, on the part of a fair sprinkling of individuals throughout the Chockstone community, at all levels of class (boulderers excluded of course).
These will constitute the new 'golden men'.
The manner in which these 'golden men' exert their influence will be primarily by their way of life (sometimes, but not always, by specific activities such as sending 'Deep Blue Sea). They will induce a certain mood and nausea in their circles, by their manner of thinking on their job, by their manner of conducting themselves at the crag, by giving approval here and withholding it there, by supporting one newspaper, or film, or broadcast, or bearded tradster, or movement, rather than another; and so on. The effect on the general Climate of Thought produced by one such well-disciplined, hard, clear-thinking individual of great caliber over a period of years can be very great. When a sprinkling of such men reinforce each other, the effect can be much greater than is generally recognized, namely the successful ascent of Deep Blue Sea.
Excerpt from 'Nobodies Business' T.S Skillman , M.A (Cantab.) F.I.E.E ...........................not unreasonable ODH ,your on your own out there mate....on your own in the cold dry lonely desert of your own sarcasm. Another qoute " haters gonna hate" , peace out.